Mass Effect: Joined in Love (Stand Alone)
by Daniel Sullivan
Summary: When Shiala joined with Shepard, she gave him the Prothean Cipher. But something happened to her as well; she fell for the daring human commander. With the Reaper War, would she ever see him again?


**Joined in Love**

 **Part 1**

Zhu's Hope had been put through a literal hell by the Thorian, only to be released by Commander Shepard. But the colony was not all that Shepard had released. Shiala had been saved from Thorian enslavement by the Alliance commander, and in return, she had given him the Prothean Cipher. And that was when it happened.

Shiala had to join her mind to Commander Shepard's, and in doing so, she experienced the entirety of his being, connected with him at the deepest level … and fell in love. After she had given him the Cipher, he had to decide what to do with her. Shiala had pled for him to allow her to stay and help the colonists, though she knew that from his perspective, letting her live was a huge risk. She felt so worthless that had he opted to kill her, she would have gladly allowed it.

Instead, the commander agreed that the colonists of Zhu's Hope needed all the help they could get. When others would have simply taken the Cipher and then killed her, Shepard let her live. And live she did. Shiala stayed on, making a life with the colonists, and helping them to rebuild. They were mistrustful at first; she had after all, played a part in their suffering. But her part had not been a willing one, and Shepard had put in a good word for her.

Shiala had kept mostly to herself when not working, comforting herself with the knowledge that she was making restitution for her deeds. When she was lonely, Shiala was able to meditate on her one encounter with the Alliance commander, taking herself to that brief period of time that their minds were joined. Slowly, some of the other colonists, like May O'Connell and Macha Doyle, began to trust her. That was when the symptoms had begun to manifest.

Strange things began to happen to them; shared emotions, colonists sensing one another's pain, and vivid dreams. Shiala did not know what the other colonists had dreamed of, but her dreams were filled with either nightmares of her time with Saren and the Thorian, or dreams of Shepard. Her skin slowly turned from blue to green at this time as well. She wondered if it could ever be restored to its original hue.

A few months after Shepard's victory at the Citadel, the unthinkable had happened; the Normandy was destroyed. Shiala grieved at first, but she realized that however brief their joining had been, Shepard was still a part of her. And suddenly, one morning, she sensed that part of her with a renewed energy. Shepard lived, she was sure of it.

 **Part 2**

As Shepard hacked the last terminal, Liara contacted him, asking him to check in with her as soon as he could. He made a note to do that, though he did not want to get too involved in Liara's side projects; friend though she was, he really needed to stay focused on the mission, and at this point, it did not seem as though investigating the Shadow Broker would intersect with stopping the Collectors. With that done, he went to visit Tracking Officer Dara, the contact Liara had given him to connect with the justicar, Samara.

As Shepard, Garrus, and Tali approached Officer Dara's remote office in the hub, a green skinned Asari woman seated on a bench saw him and stood, walking hurriedly to meet him.

"Commander Shepard," she called before closing the gap. "Commander Shepard," repeated the woman as she reached the Commander. "I … don't suppose you'd remember me. I'm Shiala; we met on Feros during the Geth attack."

Shiala, the Asari Commando whom Saren had traded to the Thorian in exchange for the Prothean Cipher, and who had also transferred it to Saren's mind. Shepard had freed her, and then she had given him the Cipher as well, which ultimately enabled him to understand the visions from the Prothean beacons and discern the location of the Conduit. Without that, he would never have been able to succeed in his mission. After freeing her from the Thorian, she had stayed on to help the human colony of Zhu's Hope on Feros.

"Saren had given me to the Thorian creature as a slave," Shiala continued, pacing back and forth nervously. "You killed it, and saved me. I promised to help Zhu's Hope recover, and I'm actually here on Illium for just that purpose."

"Is there something I can do to help?" Shepard asked, remembering what a miserable time the Zhu's Hope colonists were having of things on Feros after the Geth attack and their being used as living test subjects by Exogeni. If Shepard could do anything to facilitate Shiala helping them, he would, so long as it would not derail him from his primary objective.

"I'd appreciate it," replied the green Asari. "I've reached the limits of my diplomatic abilities, and I'd prefer not to cause trouble. Some of the colonists had health problems as a result of the Thorian control. We hired a colonial survey group to do some medical scans … but the medical contracts apparently allows the company to perform invasive procedures without our consent. That's why I'm here."

"What kind of health problems did colonists have?"

"Headaches, or muscle spasms, similar to what they experienced while under Thorian control. Sometimes the colonists, near another Thorian victim, shared sensations, like heat or pain. It has to be the result of trace amounts of the Thorian's parasitic spores. You can see why we'd want it studies and cured."

"Wait a minute," Shepard said, "Shiala, you were only green when the Thorian made you a clone. But really, you were blue, like normal Asari."

"Those … health problems I said were related to Thorian control … this is mine, she explained. "A few months after the Thorian died, my skin pigment changed. My biotic abilities are unstable as well. I'm also having vivid dreams … about my time with the Thorian. It is disconcerting."

"Tell me more about the contract you signed for these scans." Shepard was not surprised at the lingering health problems, but there was nothing he could do about that. The scanning company, however, was something that a Spectre could apply pressure to.

"Baria Frontiers," Shiala said, pointing to the kiosk with her thumb, "was interested in our problem. They offered to perform medical scans and deliver treatment for next to nothing." She began to pace back and forth, her anxiety clearly rising. "I should have known that it was too good to be true, but we were desperate. In the fine print, we apparently agreed to let them perform invasive follow up procedures if they deemed it of value … which they have." She sighed in defeat.

"Can they actually force these procedures on you?"

"No, but they can declare us in breach of contract," she explained. "Which means we're responsible for the full price we would have paid normally. Zhu's hope just got back on its feet. There's no way we can afford that, Shepard."

"I'll talk to the survey group," Shepard offered.

"I appreciate it, Shepard. The Baria Frontiers representative knows about the issue."

Garrus and Tali followed Shepard as he made his way to the Baria frontiers kiosk. Shepard was familiar with predatory companies such as Baria, and how they preyed upon human colonists, who frequently were not well off and even more often, not highly educated. It was one of the things that had made him so disdainful of large corporations. As they approached the Baria Frontiers kiosk, it was clear why Shiala had made no headway. The rep, Eryinia, was waiting for them, a scowl on what would have been an otherwise lovely Asari face, and her body tense, wound up and ready for a confrontation.

"I saw your conversation, human," Erynia said tersely. "You're here to complain about the medical contracts those colonists from Feros signed. I suggest you leave. Your life is short enough. Do not waste what time you have bothering me."

 _And I can make yours even shorter_ , thought Shepard.

"Why are you insisting on these tests?" Shepard ignored the Asari's protestation. "What use could they possibly be?"

"Their use is not your concern," dismissed Erynia. "A legally binding contract was signed. Nothing else matters." Then she brushed them off with a wave of her hand and began lecturing them, all the while walking around as though she were an actress on a stage. "All you, Humans, Salarians, Turians; you come to our planet and complain that our laws don't suit you." Then said she turned and walked straight to Shepard and very hostilely said, "The galaxy would be a better place if nobody but the Asari had ever dragged themselves out of the primordial muck."

"Why are you so prejudiced against aliens?" Shepard asked dispassionately.

"Pheh," Erynia snorted derisively. "Where do I start? With Salarian explorers unleashing the Rachni on us, then unleashing the Krogan to correct their mistakes? Or the Turians, so eager to bomb every problem away? Or the Humans; the new arrivals who already think they should be in charge?" With each sentence, her voice rose in volume, intensity, and anger. Then she got quiet, but no less intense. "Every war that has plagued this galaxy has been caused by your people. My people's deaths are on your hands," she said, pointing directly to Shepard as she spoke.

Shepard folded his arms and looked down at her with disdain. "You seem to forget that a Human saved you from Saren and the Geth," Shepard countered.

"The Geth created by the idiotic Quarians?" Erynia asked defiantly as she began walking about again, her voice rising to its formerly high volume. "Led by a rogue Turian Spectre in an attack? The Geth didn't start at the Citadel! They attacked your human Colony, Eden Prime first. You humans brought the Geth upon us! You humans, and the Turians and the Quarians!" Then she shouted, pointing and reiterating, "My people's deaths are on your hands!"

"That sounds personal," observed Shepard. "Whose deaths are we talking about exactly?"

"My bondmate was killed on the Quarian homeworld during the initial Geth uprising," Eryinia explained sadly, the fury suddenly sucked out of her. Then she began crying, tears streaming down her face. She turned and walked to the railing by the kiosk and leaned against it, her back to Shepard. Then she spoke, just above a whisper. "My daughters died on the Citadel during the Geth attack. One worked in the embassy, the other was a greeter for the Consort." Then she straightened and turned around, her voice now at a conversational level, but hard, and cold. "I'm not speaking in hypotheticals, human. The aliens will never be my allies. The best they can do is give me useful medical data."

 _I remember Erynia's daughters. They were nice enough_ , he thought. _The apple certainly fell far from the tree_. "Your bondmate was with the Quarians," observed Shepard, "and your daughters worked every day with aliens at the embassy and the Consort."

"And look what happened to them!"

"You've suffered, I get that," Shepard said, now condescendingly, now walking towards Erynia. "These colonists are trying to live peaceably, and they've suffered too. They've lost family to the Geth, and to the Thorian creature. Don't add to their anguish."

Erynia backed away from the big soldier until she hit the railing next to the kiosk. Then she slumped and collapsed, crying in a heap on the floor. Shepard walked over and offered his hand, helping the bitter Asari to her feet.

"I'm sending an amended contract," the weeping Asari said, her voice raspy and low. "No more tests, no more fees. There's enough grief in the galaxy. I don't need to add to it."

The three walked away, Shepard's job done. Now Shiala could deliver good news to Zhu's Hope. Garrus shook his head, a disgusted expression on his face.

"What a piece of work," exclaimed the Turian vigilante. "I can't believe you didn't let her get under your skin! I wanted just shake that woman and make her understand!"

Tali added, "Shepard, you backed that woman down with the sheer force of your will! You never raised your voice, or returned any of her insults; you simply stated the truth! I don't know if I could have done that."

"I knew her daughters," Shepard replied.

"You did?" Tali asked in surprise.

"Yeah; when I first visited the Citadel after Eden Prime, her daughter at the embassy helped me learn my way around the place. Later, I had to settle a dispute involving an Elcor Diplomat, a Turian general, and the Consort, which is when I met the other one. They were both very helpful to me. I feel bad for Erynia. I understand why she's bitter."

Shepard had lost a lot of friends and family over the years. His father died when he was very young; he lost squad-mates on missions, Kaiden on Virmire, and more friends with the destruction of the old Normandy. Then he lost Ashley, though in her case, it was an emotional loss rather than a literal one. It seemed to him that loss was the one constant in the galaxy. Human colonists were being lost to the Collectors now. Shepard wondered if Zhu's Hope was on their menu, and vowed to stop them before they got to it as they approached Shiala.

"You did it! Shepard," exclaimed the green Asari as they met her. "They just sent over the revised contracts! You've saved Zhu's Hope again. I don't think I could have …" Downcast, she shook her head. "Is it always like this? Yesterday's problems lingering in some new form? Isn't anything ever just fixed?"

The irony of a woman over three centuries old asking Shepard, a man in his late twenties, questions about life, was not lost on Garrus and Tali.

"You've got the power to make a difference, Shiala," replied Shepard. "Not everyone does."

"You're right," agreed Shiala. "You gave us a chance by saving the colony. I can't let them down – I won't! Thank you for what you've done here, Shepard. I'll keep doing what I can." Then she got very close to the Commander and said, "Maybe some time when … I'm not organizing the colony, and you're … not doing whatever you do …" Then she touched Shepard's shoulder and looked at him longingly, pain and sadness mixed with the wistful dreaming of the man who had just saved Zhu's Hope again.

Shepard thought the Asari was going to kiss him, and the thought that it would be pleasant entered his mind, but Shiala did not. She abruptly looked away and walked off before she said anymore.

 **Part 3**

Shiala returned to Zhu's hope, the work of building the colony a never ending task. At least the Baria Frontiers issue had been solved. She could hardly believe her luck in seeing Commander Shepard again. No, not luck. It was the Goddess' blessing as far as Shiala was concerned. To meet Shepard on Illium at just the right moment was providence, and she would not waste this second chance. She wanted to kick herself for leaving so abruptly, but she had been afraid of saying something stupid. Now that she was back at Zhu's Hope, she could take time and write the commander.

As she began composing a letter, she heard a knock at her door.

"Come in," she called.

May O'Connell entered, placing her hands on the Asari's shoulders as she looked over to see what Shiala was up to. "Glad you're back, Shiala," declared the human woman. "And thanks for taking care of the contracts with Baria Frontiers. You're a real lifesaver."

"Don't thank me," replied Shiala, turning to face May. "Erynia would not budge."

"Then how …?"

"I ran into Commander Shepard on Illium," Shiala explained. "I told him about our difficulties, and about the scanning contract. I don't know what he said to Erynia, but she changed her mind after less than three minutes of talking with the commander. I was just writing him to thank him again."

"That man is a godsend," exclaimed May. "If only the rest of the Alliance were like him."

"Commander Shepard is unique in the galaxy, May. He's … beautiful."

"Oh?" May's voice raised an octave. "Do tell."

"When I joined his mind after he killed the Thorian … I touched the depth of his being. He's like no one I've ever met. His spirit … his soul … is beautiful."

"The man aint so bad either, you know?"

Shiala blushed at May's comment. "No, not bad at all."

"So, you get his contact info?"

Shiala sighed and deflated. "No; I became fearful of rejection. I'm green, May. And I was an ally of Saren. If he rejects me in print, I can deal with it. I couldn't bear being scorned in person."

"How are you going to send that letter to him?"

"I'll send it through the Human embassy," Shiala replied. "Hopefully, they can get it to him."

"Shiala, we've become good friends since you settled here. And as your friend, I'm telling you that if you see him again, don't blow the chance to tell him how you feel."

"But what if he's with someone else? Or doesn't feel the same?"

"Then at least you'll know. But if you never say anything in person, you'll never get anywhere. You see him again, take him in your arms and never let him go."

Shiala finished the message, and sent it, hoping that the Human embassy would be able to get it to him. She also hoped that she might hear back from him, though she tried not to kid herself; Shepard was busy, likely with something of galactic import. In touching him briefly on Illium, she sensed that he was on a very important mission, and that he was unsure of … something. She had signed off with the words, " _Love, Shiala_." She hoped that she was not too forward as she clicked the send button.

 **Part 4**

Shepard had conquered the Collectors, only to return home in disgrace, following his association with Cerberus and the destruction of the Aratoht relay. The colony disappearances and the Collectors' involvement had been completely covered up by the Alliance, and Shepard had been placed under house arrest. He had known back then that was coming before he even stepped off of the ship.

"Where was Khalisah al-Jilani when I needed her?" he asked himself aloud as he thought about how it had all gone down. Had she caught him at the docks eight months ago when he returned, he would probably have given her the whole story, just to spite the politicians and any in the military too afraid to acknowledge the Reaper threat. Of course they got their comeuppance when the Reapers finally arrived, plunging galactic civilization in to chaos.

Suddenly, Anderson and Hackett, and those few politicians who had not denied the Reaper threat, all had renewed political clout, and Shepard had gone from being a political pariah to being the face of Human heroism. He went from being in isolation to being inundated with communication. He was sure that people had sent messages to him that he would never see. Thane had indicated that he had tried to contact Shepard several times, but with no success.

He had just finished rescuing students from Grissom Academy, and was en route to visit Ashley in the hospital. With some time on his hands, he had retired to his cabin and was going through the many e-mails that had continued to flood his inbox. One new one stood out; it was from Shiala, and he opened hers right away.

 _Dear Commander Shepard:_

 _I don't know if you've seen the articles, but the people of Zhu's Hope are fighting again. This time it's the Reapers instead of the geth._

 _I'm not sure if you remember me, but you helped me back on lllium. The Thorian is dead now. I can confirm that. But the spores in our bodies remain, and on some level, we are still connected._

 _This is not necessarily a bad thing. As we fight back the Reapers, we feel each other, and act with one mind, ignoring pain when the need arises. I'm sure I'm still indoctrinated. I remember Sovereign's voice in my mind when I went willingly to the Thorian as its thrall. But my connection to the people of Zhu's Hope is stronger. It drowns out the Reaper voices._

 _This situation is imperfect, and dangerous. Perhaps the colonists should separate, for their own safety. But with one mind, the untrained fight with the skill of veteran commandos. Our force is strong._

 _I have not forgotten how you helped us, how you spared me. We are leaving Feros soon, and when the time comes, we will fight with you._

 _Shiala_

Shepard had wondered what had happened to the once enslaved Asari commando. His last meeting with her had been brief, but she had expressed interest in future contact with him. At the time, he had thought it might be nice, but then his personal life was virtually taken from him through his mission. Now, the whole galaxy was going to hell in a handbasket. _Why not?_

Shepard then typed out a response.

 _Dear Shiala,_

 _I definitely remember you. I don't know if you've tried to contact me since our last meeting months ago; I've been in lockdown, and no communications have been forwarded to me until now. I'm glad to hear that you're doing well, and that your connection to the colonists has kept the Reaper's influence at bay._

 _I have a lot of leeway on where I go and what I can do in the fight against the Reapers, so I can definitely make a stop at Feros if you need me to. If you need evac, I can arrange that as well. If you're leaving Feros soon, I could use an Asari commando aboard the Normandy._

 _We just rescued the Turian Primark, and students from Grissom Academy. Next is getting Primark Victus to a war summit with the Salarians and the Krogan. I've been authorized to represent the Alliance._

 _It's been busy, but I wish you were here._

 _Good to hear from you._

 _Shepard_

He sent the message, the first one he had actually enjoyed reading since leaving Alliance lockdown. Shiala's touch and parting words held the promise of a future meeting; one that did not involve colonial matters or Spectre business. Just the two of them. Now that he finally had reconnected with her, the Reapers had finally arrived. With the letter sent, he determined not to waste the chance to see her if it should present itself.

 **Part 5**

Shiala was manning the barricades with the colonists, enjoying a lull in the attacks by the Reaper forces. A chime from her omni-tool alerted her to a message, and she was ecstatic when she saw a message from Shepard in her inbox. She paused before opening it, hoping that he was not dismissive of her. Finally, she opened the message and read it. To her delight, he was happy to hear from her, and even made an offer to help the colonists. His being in lockdown explained a lot, easing her mind, but it was his invitation to join him on the Normandy that really floored her.

The idea of being on the legendary frigate with Shepard drew Shiala into a dreamlike state, taking her back to when she touched his mind. She reveled in the memory of their joining, and dreamed of a more … intimate joining with the Alliance commander.

"You thinking about the commander?" It was May O'Connell's voice that pulled Shiala from her daydreaming.

"Am I that obvious?"

"Yes, but that's a good thing," May encouraged. "Shiala, you're in love. That's a wonderful thing. He wrote you back, didn't he?"

Shiala nodded.

"And he's responding positively to you?"

"He is."

"Did he talk about meeting you again?"

"He offered to come here to help us," Shiala announced. "And to help with evac if we need it. Then he said he could use me on the Normandy."

"Well, you are a commando," May noted. "But I bet his interest goes beyond the tactical. Is he coming here?"

"I don't know, May. He said he just rescued the Turian Primark, and rescued students from Grissom Academy. Then he's heading to some war summit to represent his people. But he did say that he wished I were with him."

"I know he'll make sure we're evacuated, even if he can't make it personally," May mused. "But what about you? Do you suppose you'll hook up with him if he does come?"

"I would stand at his side if he'd have me," Shiala declared. "But if he does not come in person, once we're evacuated, I will go join the fight on Earth. I'm a commando, and I can help. Besides, something tells me that the fight will be decided there."

"I pray you can do some good," May encouraged. The human woman then gave Shiala a gentle hug from behind. "You're a good woman, Shiala. Whatever happens in this damn war, I'm glad to have known you." She kissed the Asari's cheek before letting go.

"Thanks, May. That means a lot, especially considering how I came to be here."

"We're just glad you are, Shiala."

May always left Shiala feeling better at the end of a conversation. Though May was younger than Shiala, being human, she was older as humans went, and had a maturity and wisdom reminiscent of an Asari Matriarch. Nearly three years of living with these Human colonists, plus one Salarian merchant, had given Shiala a very deep appreciation for the shorter lived races, and she could scarcely imagine life without her Human sisters.

Then there was Shepard. The thought of his brief lifespan was mitigated by the fact that after their time together, he would be a part of her, forever with her. As unsettling as it was, her time with the Thorian was proof of that. She recalled that her own father was Turian. After his death in the First Contact War, her mother would occasionally go into a trance-like state, where she told Shiala that she would be with her mate.

This prompted Shiala to think about Shepard. They had joined their minds almost three years ago. Could Shiala perhaps meditate and actually _be_ with him? She resolved to find out that night.

 **Part 6**

Commander Shepard had kicked back on his sofa. Though surprised at the opulence that the cabin retained after the refit, he was pleased right now to have it. They had just rescued a female Krogan, the first that Shepard had ever met, from the Salarian home world. Moles and traitors inside the Salarian government, likely indoctrinated, had tipped off Cerberus, and what should have been a simple pickup had become a fight for her life, as well as his own.

Once they got her back, it seemed that her presence was not enough for Wrex, and both Wrex and Primark Victus had dropped new disasters into Shepard's lap. Wrex, it seemed, had word that something was happening at the Rachni Relay, while Victus had a ship crash landed on Tuchanka as part of a secret mission … both of which they expected Shepard to fix. Shepard liked Victus from the moment he had met the Primark, and Wrex was an old friend, but both of them were testing Shepard's patience.

He poured himself a glass of whiskey and sat back. "Gotta clear my head and relax."

As the weary commander drifted into a dreamlike state, somewhere between slumber and wakefulness, he felt … something. It was pleasant, but it was not physical … at least he did not think that it was. It was more like a presence, and though he was alerted to it, he was not waking.

"Shepard …" The voice was muted, as though it were far away and traveling through something not quite solid. "Shepard, can you hear me?"

Mists swirled around him, and he soon found himself standing in space, looking out across the stars. The voice asked its question once again.

"Shepard, can you hear me?"

"Who are you?" he asked. "Where are you?"

"Don't you recognize me? Search your memories … you'll find me."

Shepard focused on her presence … her mental touch. He had only ever joined his mind willingly to two people; Liara T'Soni and Shiala. And he knew that this was not Liara. As he remembered, she became more familiar, and he soon felt her hands touching his. He opened his eyes again, looking into hers, the pair of them standing in the vast expanse of space.

"Shepard …" Shiala was blue, as she was when they had met. Her eyes held wonder and amazement, and her smile was a reflection of her joy. "I did not think that we could … I've never joined with any mind over such a distance! By the Goddess, this is a miracle!"

"How … how is this possible?" Shepard was confused, certain that this was a dream.

"I reached out for you with my mind," she explained. "I … I wanted to be with you. I know we could not be together physically, but as an Asari, after a joining, I keep a part of you with me. We … did not have a fully intimate joining, but it was close."

"Shiala, I had no idea."

"Does that … bother you?"

"No, not at all. But am I awake or asleep?"

"You're in between," Shiala explained. "You're in a dreamlike state, that place between waking and sleeping, where you're still dreaming, but also somewhat conscious."

"So we're together again. Where do we go from here?"

"Perhaps here …" Shiala leaned in and kissed him.

Shepard pulled her close, reciprocating, amazed at the sensations that the two could share over such a distant connection. Yielding to Shiala, their minds joined together, as they had when he had met her on Ferros, only this time, instead of Shiala simply imparting a cipher to him, he opened up fully to the distant Asari, allowing her into the inner recesses of his being. As he opened up to her, he found himself drawn into her very being through their shared connection. For the first time, he experienced a woman's inner most being, and was floored by Shiala's beauty. He also could feel the love she held so deeply for him. The experience was euphoric, beautiful, and humbling.

"I could stay here with you forever," he declared.

"As I with you," she thought, more than said to him.

Shiala awoke from her trance with a start. Never had she experienced a joining that had been so intense, or so deep, not even with another Asari. Shepard had opened himself to her completely, and she had responded in kind, and for roughly an hour, the two were literally of one mind. She loved him dearly, and now, he knew it. To her delight, she found that he responded positively to this knowledge, and that the experience of their long distance joining had drawn him from simple attraction to deeper feelings of love.

Shiala had done what May had encouraged her to do: Go to Shepard. Though not in the conventional, physical sense, she had gone to him in spirit and in being. Shiala was not sure that she would even be able to connect with him when so far away, but their connection was strong.

"By the Goddess," she gasped. "If it's this intense over such a distance, I can only imagine what it will be like when we're finally together!"

Shepard had drifted off into actual slumber after his visit from Shiala, but when he awakened, he remembered it all. He shook himself into motion, knowing that rest was a luxury for him. _Was it real?_ He hoped that the answer was yes. _Liara will know_. With that in mind, he poured a cup of coffee and buzzed his own Asari crewmate over the intercom.

"Liara, you got a minute?"

"I can spare some time," she replied. "In fact, I could use a break. Come on down."

"On my way."

Shepard was soon exiting the lift on the crew deck, the hot mug still in his hand. He strode to Liara's cabin and buzzed the door, entering when Glyph opened it.

"Greetings, Commander," the VI said in its innocuous electronic voice.

"Hey, Glyph."

"Shepard," Liara called, "Come on in."

He took a seat by her desk, setting the drink down after taking a deep draught. Liara joined him, knowing that he had more than just small talk on his mind.

"I have … an Asari question," he began.

"Please tell me that it's not about my head tentacles," she said somewhat crossly.

"What are you talking about?"

"Sorry." She shook her head. "Joker has been bugging me about that all week."

"Oh, well no. It's about the joining."

"Shepard, we are friends, very close friends, but … we're not … you're not asking me to, are you?"

"No, Liara," he said quickly, holding up a hand to halt her movement in that direction. "I had a question about proximity, and about whether or not an Asari could initiate such a connection over great distance."

"Oh." Liara was now puzzled, pausing before answering. "That seems an … odd question. Why?"

"Humor me," he said cryptically.

"Okay … well yes, it is … possible … if one or both parties were a very powerful Asari. They would probably have to have joined in person first, but there are stories of lovers who can maintain intimacy over great distances." Liara was still puzzled. "Shepard, why do you ask me such things?"

"Do you remember Shiala?"

"The woman who gave you the Prothean Cipher? Of course. I understand you encountered her on Illum when you came to visit me. Why?"

"Well … I just experienced a kind of joining with her. She assured me that it was real, that she was really with me mentally. I remembered her mental touch. But I don't know if I was dreaming. It … felt very real."

Liara sat back in her chair, contemplating her answer. "You did join with her, and she did impart the Cipher to you. That would have required a very deep connection, and it was a fairly prolonged connection. Shiala was one of Benezia's disciples, and is considerably older than me. She's a commando as well." Liara sat forward, seeming to have puzzled it out. "Given your connection, her age and power, and that you both share the Cipher, another unique thing, I suppose that it's possible." Then she smiled affectionately. "Not only that, having joined with you myself during or search for the Conduit, I can say with authority that you're unique, Shepard."

Shepard smiled at her, reddening a little bit at her remarks. This prompted Liara to giggle and give him a gentle poke.

"Do you love her, Shepard?"

"When we were on Illium, she … flirted with me. Not like Gianna Parasini, but more earnestly. There was a longing in her eyes, a sadness too. We've corresponded since then, and I've developed feelings for her. But this experience was far more intense, more so than even when she imparted the Cipher, and that was very intense. I … I think I fell in love with her today. But I don't even know if we really connected … or if it was just a dream."

"Would you allow me to join with you? As a dear friend? I could tell you."

"If you think that's wise …"

"It won't hurt, and I promise, I won't make you fall in love with me, if that's what you're worried about."

"No, I trust you Liara. Very well; do it."

Liara leaned forward and placed her hands on Shepard's shoulders. She had not joined with him since their days of chasing Saren. He was one of her closest friends, one who she felt understood her better than any Asari. She hoped very deeply that Shiala's coming to him had been real. It would be happiness for Shepard, a man for whom happiness was so elusive.

"Relax Shepard. Embrace eternity."

In that instant, their minds were connected. Liara immediately experienced Shepard's anxiety about the war, something that overpowered every other emotion or thought. It had not been like that when they had joined before. She knew fully the toll that the past three years had taken on the commander. Then she saw the intense images of Shepard's conversation with Shiala, and then … more than conversation. Much more.

As the joining ended, Shepard came back to the physical world. He felt refreshed, Liara's friendship being like balm to his spirit. As he opened his eyes, he saw his friend smiling broadly, her eyes twinkling.

"Shepard, I'm so happy for you; it's real."

He hugged Liara tightly. No words were necessary. Suddenly, a weight had been taken from him. _There's happiness at the end of this damn war_.

 **Part 7**

The war had worn on for months, and Shepard dutifully built alliances, secured resources, brought peace between the Quarians and the Geth, and fought Cerberus to the bitter end. The entire process culminated in the Battle for Earth, in London and in space, as the might of the galaxy was brought to bear upon the Reapers, courtesy of Shepard.

Shiala had joined the Asari on Earth for the final push, though she never saw Shepard, who was with the smaller group assaulting the Citadel beam. She watched in awe as the Crucible fired, and the Reaper forces around her fell under the ember glow of the Crucible's energy. All around the galaxy, the Reapers and their forces fell, and at long last, the battle was won.

But that was hardly the end. Shepard had been declared MIA, and likely dead, but Shiala knew better. Shepard's light had not gone out, and she knew that he yet lived. When the allied forces began putting together a team to mount a search and rescue mission on the Citadel, Shiala made sure that she was on it.

 **Part 8**

Shepard was in and out of consciousness, buried in rubble. His legs were trapped, and probably badly injured, and he had sustained heavy injuries from Harbinger and various Reaper forces along the way. His suit had no more medigel, and Anderson was dead. He lay there, waiting to die himself, knowing that his mission had been accomplished. He only wished that he could have seen Shiala one last time.

 _Who's to say that you can't?_

"Wha …"

 _I'm coming, Shepard, hold on._

"Shiala?"

 _I'm here, John. I'm here. Not physically, but as I came to you months ago._

Shepard was convinced that he was delirious, but he clung to Shiala's presence. If he was delusional, then at least he would die with some measure of hope and happiness. He drifted from consciousness, blood loss being too great for him to stay awake, but even as he blacked out, he could feel Shiala's reassuring presence.

"I love you, Shiala," he said softly as he lost consciousness.

 _I love you too. Hang on, my love; I'll be there soon._

Shepard felt water on his lips and the rush of the stimulant contained in medigel. Gentle hands cradled his head, soft lips kissing his forehead. The weight of the rubble was lifted from him, and medigel was applied to his injured legs and to his various gunshot wounds and burns.

"He's alive!" Some disembodied voice was shouting this refrain over and over. "Shepard's alive!"

But a softer voice, one close to him, familiar to him, had captured his attention.

"I'm here, John. I'm here. I'll never let you go, I promise."

His eyes slowly fluttered opened, revealing a tearful Shiala. She had come to rescue him, just as she had promised. "You … how?"

"I joined the mission to the Citadel," she said through her tears. "I could feel you. I knew that you were alive, and refused to let anyone give up on you. We won, John. _You_ won; the Reapers are gone!"

He smiled up at her as the medics placed him onto a stretcher, removing his shattered armor and securing his damaged limbs, placing a collar around his neck and a breather over his mouth and nose. Fresh air, oxygen, and nebulized medications entered his lungs as the medics removed him from the wreckage and got him to a shuttle, Shiala holding his hand the whole way. He drifted from consciousness as the medications took effect, secure in the knowledge that they had won, and that Shiala had lived.

 **Three months later …**

Shepard had recovered quickly enough, spending less than a month in the hospital. He had endured another full month of ticker tape parades and a hero's welcome on Earth. Earth … the planet was a wreck, the Reapers destruction overwhelming. But rebuilding had begun, hospitals and temporary housing being the first order of business. The Normandy was still out there, somewhere, but the relay and com buoy system was still down, so nobody knew exactly where. Only those friends who had stayed on the ground for the final push were still close at hand.

Shepard had been visited by Zaeed, Miranda, Grunt, and Cortez, all of whom were stuck on Earth, along with a parade of officers, both Alliance and alien. Even Primark Victus had paid him a visit. But through it all Shiala had never left his side. Had it not been for her, he was sure that he would have gone insane.

When he was finally discharged, he and Shiala had been given a modular home. Though temporary, it was still a home. They were still together.

"We've been here a couple of months," he said one morning. "And you're still with me. I never thought I'd get a happy ending out of this, you know?"

"It's wonderful," she agreed. "But after I connected with you … joined with you all the way from Zhu's Hope, I knew that somehow, we'd manage it."

Shepard suddenly took her in his arms and kissed her deeply and passionately. She yielded to his embrace, reciprocating.

"Shiala, before anything else happens, before our lives get crazy again, I want to ask you something."

"Anything," she said breathlessly.

"Marry me, Shiala."

"Yes, John. Yes." She kissed him for a few moments, and then pulled back, smiling, a twinkle in her eye. "But … do we marry by Earth custom … or Asari?"

"Yes," he replied with a grin.

"Is that two ceremonies, a joint ceremony, or your acquiescence to either?"

"Yes," he replied, chuckling. "Shiala, I'd do anything, so long as we end up together. I've studied Asari culture, and I think an Asari ceremony would be beautiful."

"I'd like that, but there's no way to get to Thesia," she lamented. "But I've studied human culture, and I think a human ceremony would be beautiful too. I understand that a Reverend Bowman is actually on Earth, and owes you for saving his daughter?"

"He is indeed, but I'm sure that there are Asari here who could do the same. Perhaps a joint ceremony would be ideal?"

"I'd like that," she purred. "But for now, let's just enjoy each other." She looked into his eyes, holding his gaze. "Embrace eternity, my love."

 **The end.**


End file.
